The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-25
The Flow of Gas Increased to About $50
Pounds, Making the Well One of the
Most Powerful in the State.
The Work of Laying Pipes to Supply the
City Will Begin Within Ten Days.
Judge Martindale Gives the Assurance that
the Price Will Not Be Over 10 Cents Per
Thousand Feet, Meter Measurement.


miles north of the city, was shot yesterday
afternoon, and the result was an informal but
highly enthusiastic meeting Of gas men in the
Office of the Denison House last evening. There
large amount of hand-shaking and con-
graduation The we'll shot at o'clock in
the afternoon. About sixty persons had gone
out from the city, and eighty ninety country
people, living in the neighborhood gathered
about the derrick to what would come OF
the subterranean explosion. Among those from
the city Judge Martlndale, Allen M.
Fletcher. George f. Branharn, G.. r.. Root, John
H. Elder, Frederic Ostemeyer. N. S. Byram
Henry SEVERN, F. NJ. Churchman. A. B. Gates,
w. d. Wiles, W. H. Krag and others Mr..
Mansfield, Mr. Lupkn and number of drillers
and contractors connected with the Standard
Dill Company were also present
The well shot by Mr. Van Rensselaer,, of
Lima, o., fifty quarts of itro-glycerine being
Ised. 1t was what is known to drillers as a
"dry shot," water tamping was put in,
owing to the force of the gas driving it out. The
mot worked splendiely, shattering the Trenton
md throwing out a quantity of rock from the
bottom of the we'll The shot was followed by a
great roaring The we'll had found it's voice and
IL was one of thunder. The flow and pressure
we're SO great and strong that it was with great
difficulty the well could be capped and a two
inch pipe attached. The gas could not be shut
off, attempt to do would have been fol-
lowed by the blowing out of the casing. of
the well. twoinch pipe was finally
attached, the gas led away thrty-fve
or forty feet from the derrick and fired. A
flame shot up fifty feet high, dancing away from
the opening of the pipe ten feet or more. Ex-
perts who were about pronounced the rock press
at least $50 pounds to the square inch The
flow of gas is more than doubled by shooting the
well, and is now estimated to be from two to
two and a half million feet in twenty four hours.
1t excels a majority of the wells in the State,
and there are not more than half dozen better
wells In Indiana. Unless the last we'll struck at
kokomo is what is claimed for it. there is not as
good a well at Kokomo the Harris-farm we'll
1t can be compared with the first we'll at Ander-
son, and there are but two better wells at No.
blesville. was acknowledged yesterday by
persons from Nobesville who were present
The ground.
The field is in every respect promising" said
Judge Martindale. 1.-The company has directed
and commenced putting down three more wells,
besides the one at Fishers Station. and by the
10th of July we will have four more wells In that
field. 1t should be borne in mind that this we'll
is less than eleven miles from the city limits,
and Is from elght to ten miles nearer than the
have ordered put down will be from TWO to two
and q half miles north and northeast of the Har-
ris well. The general expression among all who
have seen the well, including the Standard oil
men, is that there is an abundant supply of gas
in that field. and that the question is practically
BetLicQ SO Tar as Indianapolis is concerned that
she can get her in from eleven to fifteen
miles from her city limits.
'At meeting of our directors o-day they de-
cided to give opportunity to large consumers
of gas, who wish to do so. to take stock. The
money for the balance of rhe stock is pledged
already, and the work of piping will commence
within ten days We expect the Council and
Board of Aldermen. each of which bodies will
meet next Monday evening, will make some
favorable changes in the ordinance. The Indi-
annapolis Natural-gas Company will then begin
piping to this city. We have abundance of
leased ground, and there is trouble whatever
about money. The pipes will be laid and the
people of Indianapolis will be using gas fuel in
the next month of November"
''At what price do you Think inquired the
porter.
THE price, said the Judge, "wi not be over
10 cents per thousand feet, meter measurement"
Wisconsin street for the Manufacturers
Natural-gas and Mining Company is now down
15O feet Mr.. Gibneyi will shortly begin drill
ing well two squares further south George
Reck's place, for the Meridian-street Natural
gas and Mining Company. The well this driller
Is putting down at lrvington is now seven hun
dred feet Deep and, as the drill will not be
on Sunday, he expects to reach Trenton rock
Monday forenoon. Mr.. Gibney says few wells
go down perpendiculary exact, and that the
cident the Twelfth-street well, where, on the
second attempt, when the hole started only
four feet away from the first hole and the drill
ran into the old hole was not surprise to old
drillers Whether the Irvington we'll strikes gas
not, another well will be drilled three miles
northeast.
The well at Lawrence is down over nine hun
dred feet A depth of 525 feet has been reached
at the Haughville well.